Tuesday, September 12 2006 12:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Frankfurt: India will soon have a full-fledged External Affairs Minister but a Cabinet reshuffle has been ruled out, at least for the present.

"Yes, I have said there is need for a full-time Foreign Minister and hopefully when I go back (from the two-nation tour), there should be a Foreign Minister in place. I think, I will be back on the 18th. And I think soon thereafter, " Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told journalists when asked whether he would have a full-fledged External Affairs Minister.

Asked whether there would be a full-scale Cabinet reshuffle, he said "You asked about foreign office. As of now, I am thinking of only having a Foreign Minister.

The post of External Affairs Minister has been lying vacant ever since the resignation of Natwar Singh in November last in the wake of the Volcker controversy.

Right now, there are three Ministers of State Anand Sharma, E Ahmed and Rao Inderjit Singh. The Prime Minister has been handling the External Affairs portfolio.

There has been speculation in the recent past that there could be a full-scale reshuffle of the Cabinet that could see changes of portfolios of important Ministers.